Shared Gin, Vodka & Rum Making Experience at Nelson’s Distillery

The most engaging part of this five-hour session is that you do not simply watch a still at work. You choose from more than 60 botanicals, fruits, and spices, then help shape one bottle of gin, vodka, or rum to suit your taste. David, often praised for his humour and clear explanations, leads you through the process.

I like the mix of hands-on work and proper instruction. You learn why ingredients behave as they do, then get to make real choices rather than follow a fixed recipe. I also like that lunch, hot drinks, soft drinks, water, and small snacks are included, which makes this feel like a full day out rather than a short tasting.

The main thing to consider is transport. You will sample alcohol during the day, so driving home is a poor plan. The distillery allows you to leave your vehicle overnight, but you need to arrange a lift or other transport both ways.

Key points at a glance

• One shared 70cl bottle: Two people work together to create one bottle of gin, vodka, or rum.
• More than 60 ingredients: Build a blend with botanicals, fruit, and spices instead of accepting a standard formula.
• David’s entertaining instruction: Expect history, practical advice, humour, and an explanation of how the still works.
• Lunch included: A buffet lunch, coffee, tea, soft drinks, water, and biscuits are part of the day.
• About five hours: The session begins at 10:00 am and normally finishes around 3:00 pm.
• Plan a safe ride home: Tastings are built into the experience, and cars may be left overnight.

Choosing your spirit at Nelson’s Distillery

This is a craft-spirit workshop near Uttoxeter, in Staffordshire’s Grindley Business Village. The address is Unit 5A, Grindley Business Village, Grindley, Uttoxeter ST18 0LR.

The central choice is simple: gin, vodka, or rum. The experience is shared by two people, and together you make one 70cl bottle. That format works well for a couple, two friends, or a parent and adult child. It also makes a good birthday or Christmas gift, especially if the point is spending a day together rather than simply buying a bottle.

Do not confuse the session with a private class for just two people. The activity can include up to 28 people, so you will probably work as part of a larger group. The bottle itself is shared between the two people who book together.

Gin gives you the most obvious botanical playground. Vodka lets the chosen ingredients shape a usually clean spirit. Rum fans should note one important detail: the rum made here is un-aged rum. It will not have the colour or softened oak character of a barrel-aged rum.

10:00 am: starting with the story behind the spirits

The day begins at 10:00 am. The opening presentation covers the origins of gin, vodka, and rum, along with the science behind distilling.

That background matters because it gives purpose to the practical part. You are not just dropping attractive ingredients into a container and hoping for the best. You learn how a spirit is built, how flavour is drawn from ingredients, and why balance matters.

David is frequently singled out for being funny, approachable, and able to answer questions without making the subject feel like a classroom lesson. He also uses anecdotes from the distilling world, which helps keep the early presentation lively.

You should expect a relaxed teaching style rather than a formal lecture. If you are already interested in home distilling or craft spirits, you may want to ask plenty of questions. If you know little about the subject, the explanations are designed to give you a useful starting point.

The history section also helps explain why gin, vodka, and rum taste so different. Gin is shaped by botanicals, vodka is often valued for a clean base, and rum begins with a sugar-based character. The workshop lets you see how those broad styles can be changed by your ingredient choices.

Seeing the still and the working distillery

Part of the day includes a look at the still and the bottling area. This is where the process becomes more concrete. Instead of thinking of distilling as something that happens behind a locked door, you see the equipment connected with the finished bottle.

You are shown how the still works and how the spirit moves toward bottling. The technical detail is presented for ordinary people, not only for industry specialists. That is one reason the experience suits beginners who want something more substantial than a tasting flight.

I like this part because it links the talk to the object you eventually take home. The bottle is not just a souvenir with a personalised label. It represents a set of choices, a distillation session, and an introduction to how a small distillery operates.

The trade-off is that this remains an introductory workshop. The supplied information does not promise an advanced qualification or a full professional distiller’s course. Think of it as a well-supported craft experience with useful theory, not formal vocational training.

Choosing from 60 botanicals, fruits, and spices

The creative centre of the day is selecting ingredients. You have access to more than 60 botanicals, fruits, and spices, allowing you to build a blend around the flavours you prefer.

This is where the shared format can be especially enjoyable. Two people can compare ideas, argue over the balance, and make a bottle that reflects both tastes. It is also where David’s advice matters. A long ingredient list can be exciting, but too many competing flavours can produce a confused result.

You are encouraged to think about what you like to drink. A lighter, fresher style will call for different choices from a more aromatic or spiced blend. The session gives you room to experiment, while guidance helps keep the experiment drinkable.

Several people who returned to the school chose rum after making gin on an earlier visit. That is a useful clue about the format: once you understand the basic method, trying another spirit can make the experience feel new. Repeat visitors have also returned for another gin session, using the day to explore a different flavour direction.

The final taste will depend on your decisions. That is part of the appeal, but it also means you should not expect a guaranteed commercial-style bottle. Your creation may be excellent, surprising, or simply a useful lesson in moderation.

Distilling, sealing, and labelling your bottle

After selecting your blend, you distil it under instruction. The hands-on element gives the day its value. You are involved in making the spirit, rather than only watching a demonstration and receiving a pre-made sample.

The finished spirit is placed in a 70cl bottle. You then wax-seal and label it, ready to take home the same day. That final step adds a satisfying finish, particularly if you are marking a birthday, anniversary, Mother’s Day, or another occasion.

The bottle also makes the experience easy to remember. A standard tasting disappears in an evening. Your own labelled bottle gives you something physical to take home and share later.

Keep in mind that two people jointly make one bottle. If you want separate bottles for separate spirits, this shared option may not be the right purchase. The information provided describes one jointly made bottle, so check the exact booking terms if that distinction matters to you.

Tasting Nelson’s spirits along the way

The day includes alcoholic drinks and samples of Nelson’s spirits. Tastings help you compare your own choices with established products and may give you ideas about how to drink or mix the finished bottle.

This is more useful than tasting in isolation. You can notice how a spirit behaves neat, then consider how mixers or other serving styles might change it. Some people leave with a new appreciation for drinking spirits neat, while others may become more interested in mixing.

The tastings are also the reason you should treat transport as part of the booking, not an afterthought. Even if you feel fine after the first sample, the total amount consumed over five hours can make driving unsafe.

You can leave your car overnight and collect it the next morning. That is a practical solution if you are staying nearby. Otherwise, arrange a lift to the distillery and home again. The experience provider specifically advises this, and it is the most important planning tip for the day.

Lunch and the five-hour pace

Lunch is included, along with coffee, tea, biscuits, soft drinks, and bottled water. The lunch is described as a varied buffet, and the food helps break up the tastings and technical instruction.

This matters because the activity runs for about five hours. A morning tasting without food would feel very different. Here, you have a chance to pause, eat, talk with the group, and reset before continuing with the spirit-making process.

The timing is generally listed as 10:00 am to around 3:00 pm. The day is long enough to feel worthwhile, but not so long that it becomes an all-day commitment. Several sessions have been described as passing quickly because the programme combines explanation, tasting, lunch, and practical work.

Breakfast, brunch, and dinner are not included. Plan to eat before arrival if you need a substantial breakfast, and do not expect an evening meal at the distillery.

What the group setting is really like

The maximum group size is 28 people. That is large enough to create a social atmosphere, but it means the session is not a quiet private lesson.

The shared arrangement can be a strength. You get to compare choices and hear questions that other people ask. A family group can make different spirits together, while a couple can focus on a single bottle and treat the day as a joint project.

The downside is that the pace and attention are shared across the room. If you want complete control over the schedule or one-to-one instruction throughout, a larger class may feel less personal. The guide’s role is to keep the whole group moving while offering advice as you make your selections.

The staff style appears informal and welcoming. David receives repeated praise for his humour, passion, and ability to explain the process, while Andrea is associated with the buffet lunch and friendly hosting. The experience seems to depend quite a bit on the energy of the people leading it, and that is worth remembering when comparing it with a self-guided tasting.

Price and what you receive for $213.94

The price is $213.94 per group of up to two people. Look at it as a combined workshop, tasting session, lunch, and take-home product rather than as a simple distillery tour.

The value is strongest when two people attend together. You split the cost of the booking, receive one 70cl bottle, eat lunch, sample spirits, and spend roughly five hours learning and making something. For a gift, the personal result and shared time add more value than a bottle bought from a shop.

The value is weaker if you mainly want to purchase spirits. You will not receive two bottles simply because two people attend, and the bottle you make may not match a commercial blend. You are paying for the process and the day, not just liquid in glass.

I would book it for someone who enjoys food, drink, and practical activities. I would hesitate if the person dislikes tasting alcohol, wants a short visit, or expects a private class with separate bottles.

Who should book this experience

This is a good fit for:

• Couples looking for a joint activity
• Friends who enjoy trying new spirits
• Parents and adult children sharing a gift day
• Gin fans ready to try rum or vodka
• Beginners curious about how distilling works
• People who value a handmade souvenir

It is less suitable for anyone who cannot drink alcohol or does not want a day built around tastings. It may also disappoint someone seeking aged rum, since the rum session produces an un-aged style.

The experience is accessible to service animals, according to the available information. If you have other access needs, contact the provider before booking, since no wider accessibility details are supplied.

My verdict: book it for the process, not just the bottle

I would recommend Nelson’s Distillery & School if you want an entertaining, hands-on day with enough explanation to make the activity meaningful. The strongest features are the large ingredient choice, the chance to shape your own blend, David’s lively teaching, the included buffet lunch, and the wax-sealed bottle you take home.

Book it as a shared experience for two, and arrange transport before you arrive. If you want separate bottles, an aged rum, or a short tour without tastings, choose something else. For a birthday gift, a repeat visit, or a relaxed day in Staffordshire focused on gin, vodka, or rum, this offers good value and a personal result.

FAQ

Where does the distilling experience take place?

It takes place at Nelson’s Distillery & School, Unit 5A, Grindley Business Village, Grindley, Uttoxeter ST18 0LR, UK.

What time does the experience start?

The stated start time is 10:00 am.

How long does the experience last?

The experience lasts approximately five hours. Sessions commonly run from 10:00 am until around 3:00 pm.

How many people does one booking cover?

The price covers a group of up to two people. The two participants jointly make one 70cl bottle.

Can I choose between gin, vodka, and rum?

Yes. You can choose to make gin, vodka, or rum during the experience.

What kind of rum will I make?

The rum session produces an un-aged rum. It is not a barrel-aged rum.

What is included in the price?

Coffee or tea, alcoholic drinks, lunch, soft drinks, bottled water, and biscuits are included.

Should I drive to the distillery?

You should arrange transportation because the experience includes alcohol tastings. Cars can be left overnight and collected the following morning.

Can I take my bottle home the same day?

Yes. You distil, wax-seal, and label your 70cl bottle, and it is ready to take home at the end of the session.